Monday, September 16, 2013

Never a dull moment

We took a trip to the mountains this weekend, Lexi's favorite place to go for a staycation! Family time at its best!!! She was in heaven. 


But things got a little scary Sunday morning when we checked ourselves in to the ER up there after a bit of a scare with Ivy. It was obvious that the elevation had an effect on our girl right away. She was not her crazy, funny, active self. She wasn't walking much and by Saturday early evening she was wanting to sleep  which has certainly not been the new norm for her! She went to bed early and slept until 7 the next morning. We went out for a short walk and she fell asleep in the stroller, sleeping until I woke her at about 10am. She could not keep her eyes open and she fell back to sleep. Each time she slept it was either a very deep sleep or an odd sleep where she had her eyes closed but knew everything that was going on around her. She was even eating her spicy cheeze-it's laying down with her eyes closed. She asked to go potty so I picked her up and took her and then as she sat on my lap she rolled her eyes back in her head a little and did not respond to her daddy talking to her. She was not limp in my arms, more like a regular sleeping child but it was not normal and I was scared to death. I thought it was another bleed since she is back on aspirin. Leaving the cabin I called her cardiologist to tell him what was going on and he said to call 911. We were right in front of the hospital when I called so they told me to just check her in to the ER. I did. We had a CT scan done and it came back showing just her bleed from before and no new bleed. I was shocked. What could this be? Her O2 saturations and pulse were good. She did not have labored breathing. We are thinking now that perhaps she had a seizure. It is a common side effect of brain surgery and or a craniotomy. Saturday to Sunday she slept from 7pm to 7am. And Sunday, between 8AM and 4:30pm she was only awake for a few hours. Often after a seizure kids will sleep and sleep and sleep. We are only speculating this. We really don't have a certain answer. We pray that we will not see any more of this yet at the same time we are so thankful it was NOT her heart and NOT another bleed! Once we got to normal altitude coming home she snapped out of her little sleep coma and was the same little firecracker she had been prior to the weekend away. We are so overjoyed to see her running around tonight, dancing with her sister, making messes and singing very loud :) 
I was a mess yesterday as I anticipated spending another unknown amount of time in the hospital. I was NOT ready. I was mentally not feeling I could hold it together this time. I am so very grateful for the grace we were given!! My soul rejoices tonight!









10 comments:

  1. Oh my that is scary stuff! Glad she is doing better. We have a baby (also from China) with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) heart condition. High altitude made her very uncomfortable from our international flight from China. Doctors told us the lack of oxygen made it hard on her. Unfortunately she screamed most of the 14 hour trip home rather than sleep though. Prayers for Ivy that the episode was temporary and does not return.

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  2. His grace is enough,
    His grace is enough,
    His grace is enough,
    for me!

    Praising God this morning that you were given a reprieve from going back to the hospital. I SO understand that feeling of "I just can't go back there".

    Sending love to you, dear Mary,

    Jane

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  3. Wow,
    Your little one does not seem to like the higher altitude! I know of a family that is moving from a beautiful home in high altitudes because one of their adopted treasures cannot handle it. I am a nurse...but don't really understand such a severe reaction...but it seems it must have to do with that. What do the nurses and MD's think? wonderful to hear that she is doing so much better back HOME! May it continue to be so!Peace and Prayers

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  4. WOW it seems that it must have to do with the altitude. I read a blog of another family with adopted treasures that are moving out of the mountains because one of their little ones cannot handle it. Being a nurse I wish I had the answer to why this happens...but it seems the altitude must have something to do with it. What do the MD's think? Hope she continues to do well at home! PEACE and PRAYERS!

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  5. SCARY!!! SO GLAD it seems to have been altitude-related and not something worse. Such beautiful girls!!!

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  6. Praise our wonderful GOD that you were so near to the hospital to get Ivy to !! SO happy all is better!! Praying,Blessings,Cathy in Illinois!!

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  7. Happy that you were able to get out of the heat and have some wonderful family time. Continued prayers for Ivy. Beautiful pictures of your sweet girls.

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  8. I too sleep for days at a time after my seizures. My docs have no explanation as to why this happens to lots of people post-seizure. I have been seizure free for 3 months!! Woot!

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  9. Living at high altitude, I am thinking Miss Ivy might have had a bout with altitude sickness. Her symptoms fit. So smart of you to have her checked out asap (of course you would have done it anyway!). So glad she's back to her sweet self. Her pics on Facebook are adorable!

    Anne in Colorado

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  10. Prayers guys - altitude maybe (used to be a Rockies backpacker and have seen more than one guy with it!) but yeah - the post-seizure "dopy" effect works too...neither one really a huge "surprise" - except that both are scary as all get out! Prayers that you don't have another "episode"!

    hugs - aus and co.

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